Apparatus for supporting bodies of railway vehicles in connection with removal and replacement of the trucks thereof



1948- A. w. SKINNER APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING BODIES OF RAILWAY VEHICLES IN CONNECTION WITH REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE TRUCKS THEREOF 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 51, 1947 Nov. 16, 1948. A. w. SKINNER 2,454,225

v APBARATUS FOR SUPPORTING BODIES OF RAILWAY VEHICLES IN CONNECTION WITH REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE TRUCKS THEREOF MJXJ 4 Jim-672E? 625% 5/17/0267 APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING BODIES OF RAILWAY v VEHICLES IN CONNECTION WITH. REMOVAL AND Nov. 16, 1948. A. w. SKINNER 2,454,225

REPLACEMENT OF THE TRUCKS THEREOF Filed July 31, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 16, 1948. w 5K|NNER 2,454,225

APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING BODIES 0F RAILWAY VEHICLES IN CONNECTION WITH REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE TRUCKS THEREOF Filed July 31, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 16, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF ICE" APPARATUS 'FOR' psvppoanse? son-ms 's RAILWAY. VEHICLES CONNECTION WITHREMOVAL ANDRE-PLACEMENT OF THE TRUQKS THEREOF a Asa W.. Skinner;Riverdale vlillagjlll, assign onto Whiting; Corporation, Harvey, 11]., a, corporation of Illinois Application July 31, 1947, Serial No. 765,066

- The present invention relates generally ,to.'apparatus for supporting the bodies .of rail-wayvehicles, such, for example, as Diesel locomotives, in connection with removal and replacement of the trucks thereon More particularly the .inve'n-w Another objectoftheinvention is to provide lie-nets. (amass a railway vehicle body supportingapparatus which l as its principal components comprises. (1): a. pair of parallel, horizontally extending, laterally spaced beams which are disposed above and transversely of the pit and are arranged at the sides of 1 1 l I" v" LT e 'L- TAM-1' 7 .constructionland eitectively and efficiently ful- .fills itsintended purpose. l 1

f 0.ther.ob-.iects "of. the invention and the various advantages and characteristics, :of, ,thepresent supporting apparatus :Wili the apparent from 1 a consideration of the following detailed description; 'z.. .1: V v i 1: ii i 1* ..1 l

The inventionconsists inthe several novel features: whichcare hereinafter. set forth. and .are more, particularly defined by claims at the con c1usion2hereof...:-

;a a L eInthe drawings-which .accompanyand form a part ofthis specification or disclosure .andin whieh 1 like numerals. of 1 reference denote lCOITlB- spending.- parts throughout the several views:.,

=. lFigure ll is a. vertical. transverse section showingarailway vehicle body supporting apparatus embodyingthe inventionnin associated relation '.withan elongated-pit with truck' raisingand lowa track consisting of, rails leading .to theside of z r s a ism t nd st at t the pit; and (2) a pair of horizontally extending bar type supporting members which are associated respectively with, and extend transversely of, the beams and are mounted to slide towards one another intoan operativepositionwhereinr the inner ends thereof underlie the side sills-of the body of the vehicle'and awayoirom one .another into an inoperativeposition -or..retracted position wherein their inner ends are clear or free of thevehiclebody. y L.

Another object of the inventionis 1to-.-.provide a supporting apparatus of the last mentioned character in which thelbar type tsupporti-ng. members are slidably mounted on carriageswhichare mounted onthe beams and are capable of travel-- ling lengthwise of, .or along the beams to the end that the supporting members-may be vadjusted transversely with respect tothe pit into a proper vehicle body supportin position- H Another object of the invention is to provide; a railway vehicle body supporting apparatus of the type and character underco-nsideration in which the carriages have mountedthereon power means for shifting the bar type supporting memhere to and from one another.- i a A further object of the inventionis to provide a supporting apparatus of the aforementioned character in which the beams-are supported and mounted so that they are adjustable to and from one another in order to accommodate between them vehicle bodies that vary in width.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a railwayvehicle; bodysupportingappamanner l which the slidably *IIIOUIltEdaEIIDIJOlting..:members .serve vwhenin their operative position'to support athel-vehicle body 711 11850116 of the trucksthereof is disconnected therefrom; u r Figure 2: is an inner side elevation'ofone of th horizontally extending beams together with its carriagep Figurefiis an enlarged vertical transverse sec- .-.-tion taken onthe line 3-...i.-ofi-F-igure 2 and. illustrating in-.detail.the mannerin which the carriages are. mounted ontthe .beams and the body supporting -members are slidably supported on thercarriages; and. r v 1:,

Figured is Janenlarged fragmentary inner side elevation oflone ofthec'arriages; 1* The apparatus which is shown in the drawings constitutes the preferred embodiment of the invention.: It is designed and adapted to support arvehiclerbody, such for example, as a'Diesel locomotive 5;in connection with-l-removal' and replacement of i one of the trucks: .tl iereof and rests onafioor fi'havin an elongated'pit .1 therein. "A track 8- along which the Diesel locomotive 5 is adapted. to travel extends."transverselywoi the piti and consists of a. pairdof. laterallyspaced rails Stand a-pair of laterallyspacedrails. ID. The rails 9: rest on and are suitably anchored to the .floor. .ii and dead from one side of-nthe --;pit :J. The other rails, i. e., the rails H), are arranged 0 mali e m a nvwith tberails .8. .uThe-yz est ratus which is generally oi new and improved on, a l-dare suitably anchored to the floors fi and lead from the, other-side' -oi thepit. I1Witl inyoloe pit is mechanism 14 for raisingua-nd lowering one; of the trucks of-the locomotive. when the locomotive is positioned on the track 8 so that 3 the portion thereof to which the one truck is normally connected overlies the pit (see Figures 1 and 2). In the bottom of the pit is a, longitudinally extending track consisting of a pair of laterally spaced rails l2. The raising and lowering mechanism H is in the form of an elevator and transfer car comprising a rectangular, horizontally extending truck 13 and a vertically movable platform It. The truck l3 embodies at the corners thereof wheels l5 and these rest on, and are capable of travelling along, the rails l2 and permit the elevator and transfer car to be wheeled along the pit. A reversible electric motor H3 is connected to certain of the wheels l5 by Way of speed reducing gearing H and operates when driven to propel the elevator and transfer car along the track that is formed by the rails l2. At the corners of the truck l3 are four upstanding, rotatably mounted screw shafts l8 which have the lower ends thereof connected by gearing to a reversible electric motor IS on the truck I3. The last mentioned gearing is so designed and arranged that when the motor H3 is driven in one direction the screw shafts 58 are conjointly rotated in one direction and when the motor I9 is reversely driven the screw shafts are conjointly driven in the opposite direction. The platform I4 is rectangular and has at its corners fixedly mounted nuts which are mounted on the screw shafts Hi. When the screw shafts are conjointly driven in one direction the platform M is caused to be lowered and when the screw shafts are conjointly driven in the opposite direction the platform is caused to be raised; On the top of the platform M are two horizontally extending, laterally spaced rails 2|. The latter extend transversely of the pit and are adapted when the transfer and elevator car is positioned under the subjacent end of the locomotive 5 and the platform I l is raised to its fullest extent to bridge and complete the rails constituting the track 8. It is contemplated that, when one of the trucks of the locomotive 5 is to be removed for purposes of repair or servicing, the locomotive, after raising of the platform I4 so as to cause the rails 2| thereon to bridge the rails 9 and IE], will be propelled along the track 8 until the truck rests on or overlies the rails on the platform l4 of the elevator and transfer car. After the locomotive 5 is properly positioned the truck is disconnected from its mounting and is then lowered by lowering the platform it. After lowering the truck the elevator and transfer car is propelled along the rails l2 to any desired point or location where repair of the locomotive truck is effected. After the locomotive truck is repaired the elevator and transfer car is propelled back under the portion of the locomotive body that overlies the pit, and then the platform is raised so as to position the locomotive truck for attachment to the body of the locomotive. As heretofore indicated, the apparatus serves as a medium or instrumentality for supporting the body of the locomotive 5 while the truck to be serviced is disconnected from the locomotive body. As its main or principal components the apparatus comprises a pair of beams 22, a pair of carriages 23 and a pair of supporting members 24.

The beams 22 are arranged in parallel relation and extend horizontally. They are spaced laterally apart and extend across, 1. e., transversely of, the pit in the floor 6. As best shown in Figure 1, the beams 22 are disposed outwards of, and in parallel relation with, the rails constituting the 4 locomotive track 8 and are supported at the ends thereof by pedestals 25. The latter serve to support the beams 22 in an elevated position with respect to the track 8 and rest on base plates 26. Such plates are suitably anchored to the floor 6 and are positioned a slight distance outwards of the sides of the pits l in which the elevator and transfer car constituting the raising and lowering mechanism is disposed. The beams 22 are of box type crosssection and consist of horizontally extending bottom plates 21, horizontally extending top plates 28, vertically extending inner side plates 29 and vertically extending outer side plates 30. The side plates 29 and 30 extend between, and serve to space vertically apart, the bottom and top plates 2'! and 28. They are located inwards of the side edges of the bottom and top plates and have the upper edges thereof welded to the side marginal portions of the top plates. The lower edges of the vertically extending side plates 29 and 30 are welded to the side marginal portions of the bottom plates 21. Disposed above the inner side marginal portions of the bottom plates 21 are two small sized channel beams 3|. These beams are substantially the same in length as, and extend lengthwise of, the beams 22 and consist of vertically extending webs, inwardly extending bottom flanges and inwardly extending top flanges. The bottom flanges of the channel beams 3| rest on, and are Welded to, the inner side marginal portions of the bottom plates 21 of the beams 22. The inwardly extending top flanges of the beams 3| underlie and are welded or otherwise fixedly secured to bar type rails 32. The latter are coextensive with the channel beams and are two in number, there being one rail on each of the channel beams. The pedestals 25 are formed of welded together plates and have at the lower ends thereof laterally extending flanges 33 which extend transversely of the beams 22 and lengthwise of the pit l. The upper ends of the pedestals are welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the ends of the beams 22. The beams 22 are capable of being shifted bodily to and from one another in order to accommodate between them vehicle bodies that vary in width. They carry and support the carriages 23 as described hereafter and are releasably secured in their various adjusted positions by bolts 34. The latter extend vertically and are arranged so that the heads thereof are at the top. The shanks of the bolts carry nuts 35 at their lower ends and extend through circular holes 36 in the laterally extending flanges 33 on the lower ends of the pedestals 25 and slots 31 in the base plates 26. The slots extend lengthwise of the pit and the nuts 35 on the lower ends of the shanks underlie the base plates 26. When the nuts 35 are tightened the bolts and nuts together clamp the flanges 33 against the base plates 26 and thus hold the beams and pedestals in a fixed position. When the nuts 35 are loosened the pedestals 25 are released from the base plates 26 and hence may be slid relatively to the base plates in connection with adjustment of the beams 22 to and from one another. During such adjustment of the beams the shanks of the bolts 34 slide in the slots 31 in the base plates 26. In order to facilitate shift of the pedestals with respect to the base plates in connection with adjustment of the beams 22 to and from one another the pedestals are provided at the lower ends thereof with rollers 38. The latter are mounted rotatably on inverted U-shaped brackets 39 which are connected to, and depend from, substantially horibe readily disconnected. As best shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, the supporting members 24 are substantially rectangular in cross section and overlie the intermediate pieces 45 of the U- shaped members 44 of the carriages. The bottom portions of the supporting members 24 are supported by, and are slidable with respect to, the inner horizontally extending plates 49 between the lower ends of the inner upstanding pieces 46 of the U-shaped members 54. The outer ends of the supporting members are movably or slidably supported by way of rollers 61. The latter are supported rotatably by way of U-shaped axle carrying brackets 68 which are mounted on the outer horizontally extending plates 50. Each of the carriages 23 is provided with power means for shifting its supporting member 24 outwards and inwards, and such means consists of a hand wheel 69, a pinion 1c and a rack H. The hand wheels 69 are positioned at one side of the carriages and are keyed or otherwise fixedly secured to horizontally extending shafts 12. The latter extend transversely through holes in the rear portions of the intermediate pieces 45 of the U- shaped members 44 and have the central portions thereof journalled in bearings 13 which, as shown in Figure 4, are mounted on the outer horizontally extending plates 50. The pinions Ill are mounted fixedly on the central portions of the shafts 12 and mesh with the racks H. The latter are connected to the bottom portions of, and are in parallel relation with, the supporting members 24. When the hand wheels 69 are turned in one direction the supporting members 24 are slid bodily towards one another into their operative position wherein the inner ends thereof are adapted to support the body of the locomotive 5. When the hand wheels 69 are turned in the opposite direction the horizontally elongated supporting members 24 are slid or shifted outwards into their inoperative position wherein the inner ends thereof are free or clear of the side sills along the bottom of the locomotive body.

When it is desired to use the supporting apparatus in connection with removal and replacement of one of the trucks of the Diesel locomotive 5 the hand wheels 69 are turned so as to effect retraction of the supporting members 24. Thereafter the elevator and transfer car constituting the raising and lowering mechanism H is propelled into a position wherein it is disposed midway between the beams 22. After this operation the platform [4 is raised so as to bring the rails 2| on the top thereof into bridging relation with the rails 9 and i constituting the track 8. As soon as the platform i4 is elevated and locked in place by suitable locking means on the platform M the locomotive 5 is propelled along the track 8 until the truck to be serviced rests on, and is supported by, the rails 2| on the platform l4. After.

this is accomplished the supporting members 24 are, by proper turning of the hand wheel 69, slid towards one another into their operative position wherein the inner ends thereof underlie the side sills of the locomotive body. In the event that it is desired to change the position of the supporting members in a lengthwise direction with respect to the side sills of the locomotive body the carriages 23 are slid back and forth along the beams 22 until they are positioned as desired. As soon as the supporting members are in their proper operative position the truck above the pit I is detached from its mounting structure and is then lowered by lowering the platform ll of the elevator and transfer car. In connection with imtial lowering of the locomotive truck the side sills of the locomotive body drop slightly downwards into abutment with the inner ends of the supporting members and cause the load of the locomotive body to be imposed on the members and the carriages. As heretofore indicated, the carriages, as soon as they are subjected to a load, move slightly downwards until the lugs 5| rest on the rails 33 and afford the desired support for the carriages and their respective supporting members. After servicing the locomotive truck it is raised into place by elevating the platform 14 into a position wherein the rails 2| bridge the rails 9 and 10. After connection of the truck to its mounting structure on the locomotive body the supporting members 24 are slid inwards into their inoperative or retracted position by the proper turning of the hand wheels 69. As soon as the supporting members 24 are in such position the Diesel locomotive 5 may be propelled along the track 8. In the event that it is desired to utilize the apparatus to support a vehicle body of abnormal width the nuts 35 are loosened and the pedestals 25, after proper manipulation of the rollers 33, are rolled outwards so as to effect the desired separation of the beams 22. The pedestals, by proper feeding of the screws 42, are lowered thereafter the nuts 35 are tightened.

The herein described vehicle body supporting apparatus is comparatively simple in design and effectively and efficiently fulfills its intended purpose. It may be manipulated with facility and because of the various adjustments it is capable of being used in connection with vehicle bodies that vary in width.

Whereas the apparatus has been described in connection with a Diesel locomotive it is to be understood that it may be used as a supporting medium or instrumentality for the bodies of other railway vehicles in connection with servicing of the trucks thereof. It is also to be understood that the invention is not to be restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus designed for use with a railway track having an interruption therein and a vertically movable rail equipped element positioned adjacent the interruption and operative when raised to have the rails thereof bridge and complete the track, adapted after a railway vehicle is propelled along the track to a position wherein one of the trucks thereof is supported on the element to support the body of the vehicle so that the one truck may be released from the vehicle body and then lowered by said element, and comprising a pair of horizontal, laterally spaced beams disposed in an elevated position with respect to the track and at opposite sides of the interruption, a pair of carriages mounted on the beams to move lengthwise thereof, and a pair of vehicle body supporting members mounted on the carriages so that they are movable back and forth between an operative position wherein they underlie and support the vehicle body and a retracted position wherein they are clear of the vehicle body.

2. An apparatus designed for use with a railway track having an interruption therein and a vertically movable rail equipped element positioned adjacent the interruption and operative 9 wh ra se o ha th ra th of; b i ge and complete the track, adapted after a railway vehicle is propelled along thetrack to a position wherein one of the trucks thereof is supported on the element to support the body of the vehicle so that the one truck may be released from the vehicle body and then lowered by said element, and comprising a air of hori on a a ra ly spaced beams disposed in an elevated position with respect to the track and at opposite sides of the interruption, a pair of carriages mounted on the beams to move lengthwise thereof, and a pair of horizontally elongated vehicle body supporting members extending transversely of the track and mounted on the carriages so that they are slidable toward one anotherinto an operative position wherein their inner ends underlie and support the vehicle body and away from one another into a retracted position wherein the inner ends thereof are clear of the vehicle "body.

3. An apparatus designed for use with a railway track having an interruption therein and a so that the one truck may be released from the vehicle body and then lowered by said element, and comprising a pair of horizontal, laterally spaced beams disposed in an elevated position with respect to the track and at opposite sides of the interruption, a pair of carriages mounted on the beams to move lengthwise thereof, a pair of horizontally elongated vehicle body supporting members extending transversely of the track and mounted on the carriages so that they are slidable toward one another into an operative position wherein their inner ends underlie and support the vehicle body and away from one another into a retracted position wherein the inner ends thereof are clear of the vehicle body, and gearing between the carriages and the members for sliding said members back and forth between said positions,

4:. An apparatus designed for use with a railway track having an interruption herein and a vertically movable rail equipped element positioned adjacent the interruption and operative when raised to have the rails thereof bridge and complots the track, adapted after a railway vehicle is propelled along the track to a position wherein one of the trucks thereof is supported on the ele, ment to support the body of the vehicle so that the one truck may released from the vehicle body and then lowered by said element, and comprising a pair of horizontal, laterally spaced beams disposed in an elevated position with respect to the track. and at opposite sides of the interruption mounted so, that they are adjustable to and from one another, a pair of carriages mounted on the beams to move lengthwise thereof, a pair of horizontally elongated vehicle body supporting members extending transversely of the track and mounted on the carriage so that they are slidable toward one another into an operative position wherein their inner ends underlie and support the vehicle body and away from one another into a retracted position wherein the inner ends thereof are clear of the vehicle body.

5. An apparatus designed for use with a railway track having an interruption therein and a vertically movable rail equipped element positioned adiacent the interruption and operative when raised to have the rails thereof bridge and complete the track, adapted after a railway vehicle is propelled along the track to a position wherein one of the trucks thereof is supported on the eleinept to support the body of the vehicle so that the one truck may be released from the vehicle body and then lowered by said element, and comprising a pair of horizontal, laterally spaced eams s p o ed m levat d p i n h e-v spect to the trackand at opposite sides of the interruption and having outwardly and oppositely extending flange litre parts extending lengthwise along their bottom portions, a pair of U-shaped carriages positioned under and in straddled relation with the beams and having on the upper ends of the upstanding pieces thereof wheels arranged to ride over and along said flange like parts and to support the carriages so that they are movable-lengthwise of the beams, and a pair of vehicle body supporting members associated with the supporting structures, respectively, and mounted on the carriages so that they are movable back and forth between an operative position wherein, they underlie and support the vehicle body and a retracted position wherein they are clear of the vehicle body.

6. An apparatus designed for use with a railway track having an interruption therein and a vertically movable rail equipped element positioned adjacent the interruption and operative when raised to have the rails thereof bridge and 1 complete the track, adapted after a railway vehi cle is propelled along the track to a position whereruption and provided at the ends thereof withpedestals whereby they are supported in an elevated position with respect to the track, large sized fixed supports directly underlying the pedestals and embodying between them and the pedestals releasable clamping means for securing the pedestals in different adjusted positions on the '1 supports, a pair of carriages mounted on the beams to move lengthwise thereof, and a pair of vehicle body supporting members mounted on the carriages so that they are movable back and forth between an operative position wherein they underlie and support the vehicle body and a retracted position wherein they are clear of the vehicle body.

7. An apparatus designed for use with a railway track having an interruption thereinand a vertically movable rail equipped element positioned adjacent the interruption and operative when raised to have the rails thereof bridge and complete the track, adapted after a railway vehicle is propelled along the track to a position wherein one of the trucks thereof is supported on the element to support the body of the vehicle so that the one truck may be released from the vehicle body and then lowered by said element, and comprising a pair of horizontal, laterally spaced beams positioned at opposite sides of the interruption and provided at the ends thereof with pedestals whereby they are supported in an elevated position with respect to the track, large sized fixed supports directly underlying the pedestals and embodying between them and the pedthe pedestals in different adjusted positions on the supports, and a pair of vehicle body supporting members associated respectively with the beams and mounted so that they are movable back and forth between an operative position wherein they underlie and support the vehicle body and a retracted position wherein they are clear of the body.

8. An apparatus designed for use with a railway track, adapted to support the body of a railway vehicle on the track in connection with release of one of the trucks of the vehicle, and comprising a, pair of opposed supporting structures spaced laterally apart, located at the sides of the track and mounted so that they are adjustable to and from one another, and a pair of vehicle body supporting members associated with the supporting structures, respectively, and mounted thereon so that they are movable back and forth between an operative position wherein they underlie and support the vehicle body and a retracted position wherein they are clear of the vehicle body.

9. An apparatus designed for use with a railway track, adapted to support the body of a railway vehicle on the track in connection with release of one of the trucks of the vehicle, and comprising a pair of opposed supporting structures spaced laterally apart and located at the sides of the track, and a pair of vehicle supporting members associated with the supporting structures, respectively, and mounted thereon so that they are adjustable horizontally in parallel relation with the track and are also movable back and forth between an operative position wherein they underlie and support the vehicle body and a retracted position wherein they are clear of the vehicle body.

10. An apparatus designed for use with a railway track, adapted to support the body of a railway vehicle on the track in connection with release of one of the trucks of the vehicle, and comprising a pair of horizontal, laterally spaced beams disposed in an elevated position with respect to, and at opposite sides of, the track, a pair of carriages mounted on the beam to move lengthwise thereof and a pair of vehicle supporting members mounted on the carriages so that they are movable back and forth between an operative-position wherein they underlie and support the vehicle body and a retracted position wherein they are clear of said vehicle body.

11. An apparatus designed for use with a rail way track, adapted to support the body of a railway vehicle on the track in connection with release of one of the trucks of the vehicle, and comprising a pair of horizontal, laterally spaced beams supported in an elevated position with respect to, and at opposite sides of, the track and having outwardly and oppositely extending flange-like parts extending lengthwise along their bottom portions, a pair of U-shaped carriages positioned under and in straddled rela- Number 12 tion with the beam and having on the upper ends of the upstanding pieces thereof wheels arranged to ride over and along said flange-like parts and to support the carriages so that they are movable lengthwise of the beams, a pair of horizontally elongated vehicle body supporting members extending transversely of the track and mounted on the carriages so that they are slidable toward; one another into an operative position wherein their inner ends underlie and support the vehicle body and away from one another into a retracted position wherein the inner ends thereof are clear of the vehicle body, and gearing between the carriages and the members for sliding said members back and forth between said positions.

12. An apparatus designed for use with a railway traok, adapted to support the body of a railway vehicle on the track in connection with release of one of the trucks of the vehicle, and comprising a pair of horizontal, laterally spaced beams positioned at opposite sides of the track and provided at the ends thereof with pedestals whereby they are supported in an elevated position with respect to the track, large sized fixed supports directly underlying the pedestals and embodying between them and the pedestals releasable clamping means for securing the pedestals in different adjusted positions on the supports, a pair of carriages mounted on the beams to move lengthwise thereof, and a pair of vehicle body supporting members mounted on the carriages so that they are movable back and forth between an operative position wherein they underlie and support the vehicle body and a retraoted position wherein they are clear of the vehicle body.

13. An apparatus designed for use with a railway track, adapted to support the body of a railway vehicle on the track in connection with release of one of the trucks of the vehicle, and comprising a pair of opposed supporting structures spaced laterally apart, located at the sides of the track and mounted so that they are bodily adjustable relatively to said track, and a pair of vehicle body supporting members associated with the supporting structures respectively and mounted thereon so that they are movable back and forth between an operative position where in they underlie and support the vehicle body and a retracted position wherein they are clear of said vehicle body.

ASA W. SKINNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain June 29, 1888 OTHER REFERENCES 1931 Car Builders Cyclopedia, page 1148. 

